Brake and clutch fluid reservoirs and caps

The brake and clutch fluid reservoirs and caps in this section come in two kinds: Puig anodised aluminium caps, which replace only the lid of the stock reservoir, and complete Rizoma reservoirs, which replace the whole pot. Both give the bars or the pedal area a different look, but they do not do the same job or fit every bike, so the first step is working out which reservoir yours has.

Which reservoir does your bike have?

• Integrated into the master cylinder: a small, usually rectangular box next to the lever, closed by a cap with two or four screws. Many nakeds, adventure bikes and scooters have one, and on these it is the cap you change.
• Remote: a separate pot joined to the master cylinder by a short hose, typical of sports bikes and radial master cylinders. This is where a complete reservoir makes sense.
• Clutch: there is only a reservoir if the clutch is hydraulic; with a cable clutch, there is nothing to replace on the left of the bars.
• Rear brake: its reservoir sits on the right, near the pedal, and is sometimes hidden behind a side panel.

Cap or complete reservoir

A cap changes the lid and leaves everything else as it is, including the rubber diaphragm that keeps the fluid away from the air. That is the approach of the Puig reservoir caps, in nine anodised colours plus a carbon-look option: model-specific caps often fit several bikes from the same manufacturer, while universal ones mean comparing the shape and screw positions with your own cap. A complete reservoir, such as those in the Pure, Notch and Next lines, swaps the pot and lid for a machined part; it sometimes needs an adaptor to join the master cylinder, and fitting it may mean refilling and bleeding the system. Each line is covered in detail under Rizoma fluid reservoirs.

Reading the level

With the bike upright and the reservoir level, the fluid should sit between the MIN and MAX marks. A slow drop over the months is normal, as the brake pads wear and the pistons move out; if it falls suddenly, look for a leak before topping up. The colour tells you something too: fresh fluid is clear or amber, and once it has darkened it is due for a change. Keep a damp cloth to hand while you work, because a drop on the paintwork leaves a mark if it is not wiped off straight away.

Which fluid to use, how often to renew it and which part to check depending on what you feel when braking are all covered in motorcycle brakes.